Step-ladder.



No. 702,574. Patented lline I7, 1902. A. MAU & C. PAESEL.

STEP LADDER.

. (Application filed. Nov. 2, 1901. (No Model.)

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' ALBERT MAU, OF CHICAGO, AND CHARLESPAESEL, OF CLYDEfILLLNOlS,

. ASSIGNORS TO PETER BENT.

STEP-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 702,574, dated June 17,1902. Application filed November 2, 1901. Serial No- 80,876. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT MAU, a resident of Chicago, and CHARLESPAESEL, a resident of Clyde, in the county. of Cook and State ofIllinois, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Step-Ladders, of which the following, when takenin connection with the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof,is a full and complete description sufficient to enable those skilled inthe art to which it pertains to understand, make, and use the same. I

This invention relates to step-ladders designed to be used particularlyby workmen, as painters, plasterers, and the like; and the object of theinvention .is'to obtain a stepladder which will be strong and durableand economical in construction.

.In-the drawingsillustrating this invention, Figure l is a sideelevation of the upper end of a step-ladder ,embodyingour invention.Fig. 2 is a front elevation of such upper end of a step-ladder. Fig. 3is a front elevation of a combined angle-piece and strap forming anelement in the step-ladder embodying our invention. Fig. 4 is an endelevation of the combined angle-piece and strap illustrated in Fig. 3,and Fig. 5 is a blank from which the combined angle-piece and strapillus trated in Figs. 3 and 4 is made. 7

A reference-letter applied to designate a given part is used to indicatesuch part throughout the-several figures of the'draw- 'in'gs whereverthe same appears.

A A are the side rails of a step-ladder.

B B are the steps of the step-ladder, and C O are combined angle-piecesand straps securing steps B B to side rails A A, respectively. I v

D D are the folding legs of the step-ladder, and in a step-ladderembodying our invention such legs are pivotally attached to the siderails by rod or'bolt E, exten'di'ng through such legsand siderails'slightly below the upper step of the step-ladder. Rod or bolt Epreferably extends entirely through both rails A A and legs D D, with ahead @011 one end thereof and a nut e on the other end thereof, asillustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

F F are additional foldinglegs, which may also bepivotallyattaohed tothe side rails, as,

The combined angle-piece and strapO is.

formed up from sheet-metal blank Gr (see Fig. 5) by bending such blankon the broken lines g g g and g g respectively.

g g g g g g and II are holes through the combined angle-piece and strap0. Holes g g are in the part of the combined anglepiece and strap 0which comes adjacent to the steps B B, respectively, the center one ofsuch holes being in table part g and the end ones in the strap portion 9thereof. A nail is driven upward through the central one of such holes ginto the underside of the step B and'through the end ones of such holesinto the edges of such step to secure such combined angle-piece andstrap to the step. To secure such combined angle-piece and strap 0 tothe rail A, nails are driven through holes 9 g in the strap portion g 9into the side rail, and also nails are driven through holes 9 g in thesubstantiallyvertical part 9 into the side rail A.

Between the side rails A A and the folding legs D D and F F we prefer toplace the through hole H in the combined angle-piece and strap C, whichis secured to the upper one of the steps B B and to the side rails A A.Splitting of the side rails by strain on the rod E is obviated by thepassingof such rod E through hole H. Tendency to' split the rail A A, aswell as tendency to tear the steps B B from such rail, is obviated bythe use of the combined angle-piece and strap 0, as hereinbeforedescribed.

We find in practice that the pivotal con* nection between the foldinglegs of the stepladder and the remaining part of such step ladder isvery substantial when made as hereinbefore described and that by the useof the combined angle-piece and strap 0 the several steps and side railsare firmly secured together.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In astep-ladder the combination of steps, side rails to which thesteps are secured, such side rails extending above the upper step of thestep-ladder, combined angle-pieces and straps formed of sheet metal andattached to the side rails and to the steps, folding legs on the outsideof the side rails, a rod extending underneath the top step of the ladderthrough the folding legs, through the side rails and through the partsof the combined anglepieces and straps which are attached to the siderails, with means for securing the rod in place, whereby such rodconstitutes the pivot of the folding legs and a tie binding the topstep, the side rails and the folding legs together, and the parts of thecombined anglepiece and strap which are attached to the side rails formsheet-metal plates to prevent splitting of the side rails by such rod;substantially as described.

2. In a step-ladder, side rails and steps, in combination with acombined angle-piece and straps, such angle-piece and straps formed froma sheet-metal blank to obtain a vertical part contacting with the siderails, a table on which the steps may rest, end extensions of suchtable, such end extensions respectively bent into planes substantiallyat right angles to the table, and straps extending from the sides of theend extensions which are adjacent to the vertical part, and such strapsextending partially around the side rails; substantially as described.

3. A combined angle-piece and straps consisting of a blank of ductilesheet metal formed to obtain a vertical part, a table on which the stepsmay rest, end extensions of such table, such end extensions respectivelybent into planes substantially at right angles to the table, and strapsextending from the sides of the end extensions which are adjacent to thevertical part, with perforations provided in such combined angle-pieceand straps whereby the same may be secured to the steps and side railsof a ladder; substantially as described.

4. In a step-ladder the combination of side rails, steps, folding legsand additional folding legs, and a rod extending through the foldinglegs, through the additional folding legs and through the side railsunderneath the top step of the ladder, with means for securing such rodin place, the side railsof the step-ladder extending above such topstep,the folding legs and the additional folding legs independentlymovable on the rod, as a pivot, whereby such folding legs or suchadditional folding legs may be used as the support of the side rails andsteps, as preferred; substantially as described.

ALBERT MAU. CHARLES PAESEL.

In presence of-- CHARLES TURNER BROWN, CORA A. ADAMS.

